Located deep in the countryside of New Zealand’s South Island, the Lake Hawea Courtyard House digs into the earth with a low form and a simple, square plan that recalls the modest settler buildings of the region.

Remember when you were a kid and you'd knock on walls trying to uncover hidden staircases? Of course, you do. These five homes make good on that childhood dream with carefully-concealed private spaces.

Three ‘book-objects’ created by Alexander and Daria Kudmova Butahinoy of the Moscow-based Ruetemple Architectural Studio offer ways to store books and save space. Furnishing the outdoor, public space of Park Muzeon and its Bauman Garden, these ‘objects’ reimagine the book’s natural habitat while offering shelter to books and booklovers alike.

Here are seven striking finds from Dwell's first day roaming the sprawling floor (or floors, really) of the 2014 International CES, formerly known as the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Stay tuned for more show highlights this week.